for forty days and forty nights

[Ed Jewett]

A Palestinian Christian Eyewitness Remembers the Israeli Military Siege of the Church of the Nativity

by Sharat G. Lin / April 9th, 2012
Ten years ago, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, in response to a rapid succession of suicide bombings by Palestinians inside Israel and against Israeli settlements in the West Bank, vowed revenge, calling for "an uncompromising war to uproot these savages." Calling Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat "the enemy of the entire free world," Sharon launched a sustained attack on Arafat's official compound in Ramallah beginning on March 28, 2002. The military operation was part of an Israeli assault on the entire West Bank Jenin, Nablus, Tulkaram, Qalqiliyah, Bethlehem, Hebron, and countless Palestinian towns every city except Jericho.
On April 2, 2002 the Israeli military, having already encircled Bethlehem, entered Manger Square as part of a sweep of the entire city ostensibly to round up Palestinian militants and youths who might be considering a suicide operation. With hundreds of Palestinians militants, priests, nuns, and civilians cornered in Manger Square, they had nowhere to escape except into the sanctity of the Church of the Nativity the site Christians believe to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ. The deadly Israeli military siege of the Church (and of the entire city) had begun, and would last for forty days and forty nights.

More at the link:

http://dissidentvoice.org/2012/04/a-pale...-nativity/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8PQBYEkHHg